Not According to Plan
by Preppy in Pink
Summary: Nothing ever goes according to plan. It's just the way things are. Only in some parallel universe does anything ever happen as planned. But still, Ginny expected it would. But what happened next wasn't even a thought, let alone part of her plan. DMGW pair
1. Electrocution by Lollipop

Not According To Plan  
  
Disclaimer: All of the characters, with the exception of Jordyn and Adrienne, belong to J.K. Rowling.  
  
Remember those plans you made for your future when you were twelve? You were going to move out the minute you turned seventeen, live in your own apartment with your best friend, own a bazillion cats, and stay up until one a.m. eating ice cream every night. I had those plans too, but then you go and turn sixteen and realize that there is no way in the world you will be ready to move out when you are seventeen, so you make new plans. Move out when you are eighteen, never miss a party, become a singing sensation, and make millions of galleons. But then you wake up and realize that you can't carry a tune to save your soul. There goes that plan. On to plan number three, live on your own, own your own clothing line, and be one of the most sought after dress designers in the entire wizarding world. But you see the pattern here; nothing ever goes according to plan.  
  
So here I am, twenty three, and I have none of the above. I don't live in my own apartment with my best friend; I live with my two older brothers; I don't own my own clothing line; I work as a journalist for Teen Witch and a cashier at Fred and George's store. I don't stay up until one a.m. eating ice cream every night because (1) I hardly have enough energy to stay awake until eight p.m. let alone one and (2) do you know how many calories are in ice cream? There is no million galleon pay check, but I can't complain with the one I have. It could be worse. So my life didn't go according to plan, but I don't think anyone's ever does. What happened next though, that wasn't even a consideration let alone a plan.  
  
~*~  
  
"Hey, Gin," George called from the back room of WWW. "Would you mind running down to Honeydukes?"  
  
"Why?" I moaned. This day was a complete waste. We had a total of three people come in the store, two of which were just asking for directions. But still, I was comfortable sitting on my stool behind the counter, working on my next piece for Teen Witch, "Holland Team Chaser Spills Her Beauty Secrets."  
  
"We need more lollipops for testing our shocker pop. It zaps you when you bite it." Fred smiled.  
  
"I don't want to. You go."  
  
"Hey we let you move in with us." They reminded me. That was their excuse for everything. Ginny, could you run to the market? We let you move in with us. Ginny, could you help with an extra shift at the store? We let you move in with us.  
  
About a month ago, I realized that I could no longer live at the burrow. I was the only single Weasley child still living there but it was as chaotic as ever. Ron and Hermione had moved in, so that Hermione would have company while Ron is away with the team; that's right, he plays keeper for the Chudley Cannons. Plus, Mum watches Bill's kids during the day, and believe me I love my niece and nephews but if they drew a picture of a dragon on one more of my reports, I would have to put a full body bind on them. So I decided it was time to move out. Of course, Mum begged me to stay; she didn't think I was ready to live on my own. I think if she had it her way, my hair would still be in pigtails and we would have tea parties with all of my teddy bears. So she came up with the brilliant idea that I move in with Fred and George. It seemed like a great plan at first, don't tell Ron I said this but they're my favourite brothers. They needed someone to help at the store and I needed to get Mum off my back. So I moved in.  
  
"Please Ginny?"  
  
"Fine, Fred!" I said, giving in like they knew I would.  
  
Honeydukes was a fair walk away from WWW but I didn't mind. There was that crisp smell of autumn leaves, a million times better than the burnt lollipop smell in the store. God I love my brothers, but they sure have some dumb ideas, like electrocuting lollipops for instance.  
  
"Oh, Ginny darling, I heard about your break-up. I always knew you could do better than jerk though. So how are you doing these days?" The storeowner, Mrs. Clark, asked.  
  
"Can't complain," I answered. No reason to bother the old lady with my long list complaints. I was just dumped by my boyfriend of three years, I live with my older brothers, I have no social life, I am now the guinea pig for most of Fred and George's experiments, I still can't sing.......  
  
"Could I get two bags of lollipops?"  
  
Mrs. Clark smiled. "What are you and your brothers preparing for trick and treat tomorrow night? George, or maybe it was Fred, no George, oh I don't know, anyway one of you brothers was down here earlier and he bought six boxes of lollipops. You guys must be expecting lots to come."  
  
"Yeah," Like, whatever. I wasn't staying home waiting for some kid to ring the doorbell for candy. There aren't many kids in our neighbourhood who are even old enough to trick or treat. I was going to the annual Hogsmeade Halloween Dance with Hermione, Ron, Oliver, Fred, George, some other people I didn't really know and Fred's girlfriend, Jordyn. I didn't have a date, but at least I wasn't the only one.  
  
The store smelled worse when I returned. George was finishing up with a customer and Fred was behind the desk on my stool with a bag of ice on his tongue.  
  
"Which flavour do you like better?" George asked. "Blue raspberry or cherry berry?"  
  
"We'd tied bodth," Fred said with a swollen tongue. I think he meant we tried both.  
  
"I don't care. They both smell bad when they are burnt." I snapped, the smell was giving me a headache.  
  
"Ooh, you bought green apple!" George exclaimed. "Fred we didn't try this one!"  
  
"My tongud stillth hurths." Fred moaned, but he followed him back none the less.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Fred, what happened to your tongue?" Jordyn asked, looking at him, grossed out.  
  
"Our lollipops work." George answered happily.  
  
"I burnth it." He muttered.  
  
"He electrocuted himself with a lollipop." I explained.  
  
Jordyn shook her head, causing her long dark brown hair to fall in her face. She was tall and slender, with bright blue eyes and a ton of freckles. She was a nice person, very friendly and the most impatient person in the world. Her only downside was the fact that she was a muggle. She didn't understand most of the things in the wizarding world, which led to someone constantly explaining everything to her. Walking through the town with her was like going on a freaking tour; Fred explaining everything. I would have thought that it annoyed him because it sure annoyed George and I, but he didn't seem to mind. "Whose brilliant idea was that?" she asked Fred.  
  
"Mind," he replied sheepishly.  
  
"You're such a cute moron." She smiled, and then picked up a bag off the floor. "Ginny, will you help me with my costume?"  
  
I nodded and followed her back to my room. When she pulled out her costume, I nearly died laughing. "What?" she asked, looking back and forth from me to the costume.  
  
"You bought a witch costume?" I giggled. "To go to a Halloween party thrown by witches and wizards?"  
  
Jordyn looked petrified. "Oh, god, Ginny I wasn't thinking. I just picked out this costume because it was pretty."  
  
"Sorry," I apologized for laughing, I just couldn't stop. "But this is priceless."  
  
"What am I going to do?" she moaned.  
  
I glanced at the clock on the wall. "We have an hour and half before we have to be there. I might know someone who can help us."  
  
"Where are we going?" Jordyn asked as I dragged her down the hall. "Are we going by floo? Cause I really don't like the floo."  
  
"Do you want to go as a witch?" I asked her pulling her into the fireplace with me.  
  
"Adrienne!" I called, as we tumbled out of the fireplace. Adrienne, my boss and close friend, looked up from her desk. "I have a dilemma."  
  
"Where are we?" Jordyn asked, gazing around my office at Teen Witch.  
  
"What's with the muggle?" Adrienne was never known for her subtly.  
  
"How did you know I was a muggle?" Jordyn asked even more amazed at that than the floo.  
  
"Because sweetie, most witches get bored with the floo. Apparation is so much more convenient." Adrienne explained as she applied more candy corn lip balm, the only flavour she ever used, to her lips. "I have an interview with that adorable new coach from Puddlemere United." She added.  
  
"What is apparition?" Jordyn asked, confused.  
  
Adrienne opened her mouth, but I cut her off. "Another time, Jor. We have limited time before this party."  
  
"Ooh, a party," Adrienne squealed. Then her face fell. "I have to meet this coach, darn."  
  
"It's a costume party," I explained. "And Jordyn here didn't bring a costume."  
  
"I brought a costume," Jordyn hissed. "It just wasn't –"  
  
"Not now," I shushed her. Adrienne wasn't the most receptive of muggles and this stunt would give her ammunition for weeks if she heard about it.  
  
"Well, you came to the right person. Adrienne, head of wardrobe, at your service." She said with a fake smile. "Let's get moving. Coach Scott and I have a meeting in twenty minutes."  
  
I must admit for Adrienne not liking muggles at all, she made Jordyn look drop dead gorgeous. She had found the Halloween costumes that were used in the September issue photo shoot. Although Jordyn fell in love with this muggle Hippie costume, Adrienne insisted that she looked better in this awesome lavender princess gown.  
  
"Now, you two, scoot. I was supposed to be there ten minutes ago. I know about the fashionably late rule but this is pushing it." Adrienne said, handing Jordyn a bag with shoes and a tiara. "Ginny, you so owe me for this."  
  
~*~*~  
  
How do you like it so far? Please, please review. I hope to have the next chapter up real soon.  
  
Thanks for reading,  
  
Simple plan gc fan 


	2. Until Flobberworms Fly

Not According to Plan  
  
Disclaimer: Any characters that have been in a Harry Potter book belong to Mrs. Rowling, not me.  
  
Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed.  
  
Chapter Two  
  
"This tiara hurts my head," Jordyn complained, taking the tiara off and messing up her hair for the hundredth time. And we hadn't even left our house yet.  
  
"No one will be able to tell that you are a princess if you keep taking it off. They will just think that you got dressed up in an evening gown." I explained not so patiently as I took the tiara from her and placed it on her head.  
  
"Fine. How much time do we have left?" She asked again. Merlin, she was worse than a child. But maybe that's why she was with Fred; both rather immature.  
  
"Twenty minutes."  
  
"I can't wait."  
  
"If you don't let me finish putting my make-up on, you will have to wait longer because I am not leaving without make-up." I snapped. Jordyn plopped down on my bed, totally crinkling her gown. I was going as a fairy. Not the most creative idea, but at least I didn't purchase a witch costume.  
  
"Ginny?" she called, from my bedroom to my bathroom, where I was.  
  
"What now Jordyn? I told you I'm not ready." I growled. She caused me to mess up my eye shadow.  
  
"Oh, sorry." Hermione said quietly. "I just wanted to know if I could borrow some water from the sink. Ron spilled something on my costume. The sink in the kitchen has dishes in it and one of George's experiments exploded in his bathroom. I'll be in and out I promise."  
  
"Come in," I said, thrusting open the door. Sure enough, there was an odd purple stain on the front of her pumpkin. She chose the pumpkin to hide the fact that she was expecting. "How's it going?"  
  
She smiled. "Okay. Ron still hasn't come to his senses about a name though. For some unknown reason he sees nothing wrong with the name 'Chaser'. Sometimes I think that he likes that team more than me. Your brother is an idiot."  
  
"They all are. Well, Bill may have his head on straight but he's probably the only one." I said, fixing the green eye shadow mess.  
  
"What's wrong with the others?" Hermione asked; the purple stain now replaced with a wet spot.  
  
"Let's see. Percy is so naïve that he believed the ideas of a psycho minister who conspired with Voldemort. Just last week, George had to go to the hospital because one of their biting gift boxes bit him pretty good. Fred has a swollen tongue due to an electrocuting lollipop. Ron wants to name his kid 'Chaser' and Charlie constantly sticks himself in deadly situations with fire-breathing dragons."  
  
Hermione laughed. "I see your point."  
  
"Is it time yet?" Jordyn called from the other room.  
  
"I may have a costume change to black and white stripes by the end of tonight. I'm going to kill her." I moaned.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
I wanted to kill them. The twins, I mean. When I signed on to this little group dance thing, they assured me that most everyone else was going single. Well, they lied. Ron had Hermione of course. And Fred had Jordyn. George found some girl earlier that day that had apparently come into the store when I was out buying lollipops. Kelsey, I think. Alicia had her boyfriend, Reese. Katie was with some friend, Cole or Cody; something like that.  
  
Then, he showed up. Harry. The same Harry that I dated when I was eighteen. The same Harry that I broke up with. And he had a date. This really pretty girl; I can't for the life of me remember her name, but then again when they showed up at Fred and George's house; I didn't really think much of all. There I was, just broken up with my boyfriend of three years and dateless, and my ex-boyfriend shows up with a date.  
  
But that wasn't even the worse part. No, it wasn't by far. And I know what you are thinking, what could possibly be worse than standing there with your mouth open staring at your ex-boyfriend and his date while yours was non-existent? All of the aforementioned and the only other dateless one be Oliver Wood. And everyone knows that all of the single people end up hanging together because they don't want to bother all those lucky souls with dates.  
  
Don't get me wrong, Oliver is a really nice person. But all he ever talks about is quidditch. Well, once in a while, he takes a break from quidditch and talks about the latest racing broom. Talk about a snooze-fest. If I wanted to talk about quidditch, all I would have to do is talk to Ron. He jumps at any chance to discuss his rather unhealthy obsession with the Chudley Cannons. Just ask Hermione.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"So, who do you think will win? Ginny?" He asked, taking a sip of his pumpkin juice.  
  
"Huh?" I said, lifting my head from the table. I had just spent the past twenty minutes drowning him out. I had no idea what he was talking.  
  
"Bulgaria or Germany?"  
  
"Um, Germany."  
  
"They do have a pretty good defense. That keeper they have, Sabrina James, is awesome. She hardly ever lets a goal in. Not to mention, she is pretty." He rambled on.  
  
God, how I wanted to slam my head into the wooden table we were sitting at. This dance was boring. Oliver just droned on and on. For the first half hour it was okay; Ron had talked to Oliver and I got to chat with Hermione. Turns out she likes the name Crystal. But then she didn't feel so well, so Ron and Hermione cut the night short. So I was stuck with Oliver. Most of the songs, the DJ played were slow dances so I just sat at that bench. So maybe when he asked me to dance, that's why I jumped at the chance.  
  
He was average height with this platinum blonde hair. I couldn't see his face. He had this mask on. I think he was supposed to be a phantom or something. I don't know. Whatever he was dressed up as, he took me away from the quidditch talk. Well, it wasn't even really a talk because I didn't say anything. I just think Oliver likes the sound of his voice.  
  
"Would you care to dance?" he asked, holding out his gloved hand.  
  
"Do you mind, Oliver?" I asked just to be polite. I was leaving whether he approved it or not. A fleet of dementors couldn't hold me at the table any longer.  
  
"No. Have fun." He said. Then he turned to this teenager that was sitting on the wooden bench with us. His leg was in cast. "What did you think of Sweden and Canada in the semi-finals? Webster definitely didn't have a good night with that snitch. Canada got it right from under his nose." Oliver blabbed on.  
  
Poor kid. He didn't even see it coming. And with that broken leg, he didn't even have a shot in hell at escaping.  
  
My mysterious dancer pulled me onto the dance floor. Alicia, my friend from when we played quidditch together in school and co-worker at Teen Witch (she works in sports), had her arms around Reese's neck. She raised her eyebrows at my date and smiled.  
  
"I like this song." My dancing stranger said, as the next song came blaring on. I recognized his voice. I just couldn't place it.  
  
"Me too. Do you play quidditch?" I asked him. Great, I was starting off conservation with quidditch talk. I had definitely spent way too much time with Oliver.  
  
"Yeah," he said with a smile. "I live for it. I just got signed to a team." Great, so that meant I didn't know his voice from there if he was just signed. But it seemed like he knew me, so I wasn't going to act like a moron and just ask him. I didn't want it to seem like I didn't remember him. Well, I mean I did remember his voice, just not his name.  
  
We danced for awhile longer, mostly in silence during some of the slower songs. I was getting tired and he must have noticed because he pulled me off the dance floor and out the doors to the courtyard.  
  
The night air was cool and crisp. It felt wonderful compared to the stuffy hall. We sat down on the bench and he grabbed my hand. I know, it sounds so fairy tale like but that's what happened. I almost didn't mind dealing with Harry and his date and Oliver and his conversation (or lack thereof). Almost.  
  
He brushed his hand through his hair and took off his mask. I felt my heart skip a beat and nearly choked on the once wonderful night air.  
  
"No," I said in shock. I put my hand on my chest to feel my heart. Seriously, I think it stopped beating.  
  
"What?" he said, looking at me. It took a second, but his eyes too grew big. "Ginny?"  
  
"What the hell were you thinking?" I snapped at Draco.  
  
Draco glared right back at me. "Hey you danced with me just as much as I danced with you."  
  
"But I didn't have a mask on," I hissed, getting up off the bench.  
  
"How was I supposed to recognize you? You got all the funky green eye stuff and glitter on! And those ribbons in your hair!"  
  
"I am a fairy! A forest fairy! They like green glitter!"  
  
"Well I was a phantom! And it was dark!"  
  
"You could have said your name!"  
  
"You could have said yours!"  
  
I wanted to die. I didn't believe that this night could possibly get any worse. Oh how, I was wrong. "You know what? Let's just forget this ever happened. We won't say anything to anyone."  
  
"I couldn't agree more. Do you know what my father would say if he found out we went to the same party let alone danced?" Draco muttered.  
  
"You are twenty-four and you still have to check your dates with your father?" I asked, in shock. I never checked my dates with my parents when I was fourteen let alone twenty three.  
  
"No," he hissed, folding his arms over his chest. "I am just-um close with my parents."  
  
"You said um." I smirked.  
  
"What?" he asked, just staring at me.  
  
"You said um. You were lying."  
  
Draco looked flustered. "Shut up. You know, I could make sure that your brother gets wind of the fact that you like me."  
  
I was horrified. "I do not like you." I snapped. "Believe it or not, not everyone likes a pale, blonde, skinny, stuck-up prat."  
  
"Now who wouldn't like that?" He replied with a smirk.  
  
"Merlin, I'm just going to go." I said, turning my back to Draco to get my purse from where I had dropped it on the ground.  
  
"HEY!" Draco yelped. I spun around to see my brother pinning Draco against the stone wall of the courtyard.  
  
"What the hell do you think you are doing with my sister?" George growled. "Did he do anything that he would regret, Ginny?"  
  
Merlin, the last thing I needed was the two of them causing a scene. Then, everyone would know something was between Draco and I. "George, let him go. I just ran into him out while I was getting some fresh air."  
  
George glared at Draco, but pulled away none the less. "You've been blessed by an angel, jerk. Cause I would have killed you had you gotten any closer to my sister."  
  
Draco just straightened his shirt collar. "Can't a guy walk in the courtyard without some psycho grabbing him from behind?"  
  
"Not when the guy is walking closer to the psycho's sister when her back is turned." George threatened.  
  
Draco just grabbed his mask from the ground and walked off. "Talk to you later, Gin." He hissed coldly.  
  
"You will not!" George bellowed.  
  
I know George meant well. I mean I love him to death. But I just ragged on Draco for having to check with his family for who he is friends with and my brother attacks a guy that is talking to me.  
  
"What he did mean by "I'll talk to you later."?" George asked, placing his arm around my shoulder, as we walked back to the building.  
  
"Nothing, George."  
  
"What are you hiding?"  
  
"George! Nothing. I am not going to talk to Draco again until flobberworms fly." I said, hugging him. "But thanks for keeping an eye on me."  
  
George smiled. "What are big brothers for?'  
  
We walked slowly back to the hall. "So who was that guy you were with earlier?" he asked, smiling.  
  
"Oliver." I answered, playing stupid.  
  
"No. The blonde masked man." Draco sounded cute the way he said it.  
  
"Oh he left."  
  
"Who was he?" George asked again.  
  
"A friend."  
  
"Is it serious?" He pestered. "What's his name?"  
  
"It's nothing, George." I replied.  
  
"It wasn't 'nothing'. You two looked really happy."  
  
I sighed. "George, we are just friends."  
  
"But it looked like there was something between you two." "We just danced."  
  
"There was something. Is he your secret boyfriend?" George said with a smirk.  
  
"No!" I yelped a little too loudly and quickly.  
  
"Why not?" He said, sounding annoyed that someone would reject me.  
  
Why can't he ever just drop the subject. "Because he's.........gay." I fibbed.  
  
"Oh. Well that explains a lot." He said, pondering something.  
  
"What?" I asked in confusion.  
  
"Kelsey said he had really perfect hair. Fred made the comment that no guy could have hair like that. No straight guy, any way. That guy must spend more time on his hair than you do."  
  
"Was the whole hall watching me tonight?" I asked, rather pissed that I had to have half the party babysitting me.  
  
"Yeah, sort of."  
  
"George...." I whined. Twenty-three and still has several baby-sitters. I just love my life.  
  
~~*~*~~*~*~  
  
Thanks for reading! Thanks to all of those reviewers!  
  
Simple Plan Gc Fan 


	3. A Rose in the Eye

* * *

Not According to Plan  
  
Disclaimer: I own Adrienne, Eric, Jackie, Luke, Claire, and no one else.  
  
Author's note: Thanks to all the wonderful reviewers  
  
Chapter Three  
  
"Oww!" a voice from downstairs yelped.  
  
Jordyn. Always left early in the morning as if she left early enough George and I wouldn't know that she spent the night. Please, we aren't morons. Plus, she walks into that side table every morning on her way out the door. There is no way you couldn't hear her.  
  
"Shush!" Fred snapped. "They might hear you!"  
  
"Fred and her are getting pretty serious aren't they?" A voice said. I pulled the covers away from head. George was standing in the doorway of my room, still in his mismatched boxers and tee-shirt, his idea of pajamas.  
  
"Yeah." I answered, sitting up. Sleep was no longer an option, what with Jordyn still moaning in pain, Fred loudly telling her to be quiet, and not to mention George standing in my room.  
  
"I never thought that I'd use Fred and serious in the same sentence without the word 'not' included in there." George said, sighing. "Our little Freddie is growing up so fast," he said, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye.  
  
"George- just let me sleep."  
  
"Oh, with Freddie all grown up and you all tired, I'm all alone." He teased in a sing-song voice.

* * *

"You are late." Adrienne when I burst into our office nearly two hours later.  
  
"I come bearing coffee!" I said, holding out the carry out container. Adrienne immediately scooped one up.  
  
"All is forgiven," she said as she sniffed her usual French vanilla coffee.  
  
I passed Jackie, my co-worker in the entertainment section, her cinnamon cream coffee, I left Eric's (the mail guy) on the spare desk. He'd be around for it in a bit.  
  
"So how'd the dance go?" Adrienne said, pulling her wheeled chair right up next to my desk. "Did you get lucky?"  
  
"Adrienne!" I said, nearly spilling my coffee on my ice blue skirt.  
  
"I meant did Jordyn have any problems at the dance, you wacko. But speaking of the other meaning, did you?" She said, her usual blunt self.  
  
"Jordyn was herself, a little bit air headed. But the dance was pretty non- eventful for me." I answered, not wanting to get into the gory details of a night that I was praying never happened.  
  
"Speaking of Jordyn, remember how you owe me for that?" Adrienne started. Figures, that was why she asked. She didn't care about Jordyn the muggle, she needed something. "I need to cash in on that favour."  
  
"What?" I asked, not sure of what was to come out of her mouth, but I was very sure that I wasn't going to like whatever it was.  
  
"You know about the crush of the month column? The one where the reporter spends two weeks with the crush to get to know him? Well this month's crush is a quidditch player and you get to cover the story." Adrienne said, folding her hands nervously.  
  
"Is that all? Of course I'll do it!" I squealed, jumping out of my desk chair. Crush of the month reporter. Only the reporters with the most seniority get that article. And believe me, I don't have the best writing skills in this place or the most seniority.  
  
"Great." Adrienne replied.  
  
"What does the crush look like?" Jackie asked, scooting her chair in too. Honestly, this office is more like a social hour rather than a workplace.  
  
"Blonde hair, steel grey eyes, and he's a quidditch player." Adrienne said with a smile.  
  
"Wait why aren't you doing this piece?" I asked her. Department heads had first choice on article topics. And Crush of the Month wasn't something that you passed up lightly.  
  
"You know, there really isn't time to explain. You will meet Draco at the train station in London. He just got signed to the England Team." Adrienne said, pushing me towards the door.  
  
"Whoa," I said, stopping. "I am NOT doing an article about Draco Malfoy."  
  
"Please! Someone has to do it!" Adrienne pleaded.  
  
"Why don't you do it? He's your fellow Slytherin!" I snapped back, waving my hands in frustration. This time the coffee spilled.  
  
"I didn't know him when I went to school. He's like five years younger than me. Besides, I can't."  
  
"Why not?" I said, very pissed. I was not going to spend a month of my life hanging with Draco Malfoy and his quidditch team.  
  
"Because Draco used to date my cousin Isabella. If she found out that I was writing an article about having a crush on him, then she would kill me! I can't have my family going against me! They all officially hate him since they broke up!" Adrienne moaned, making big sad puppy dogs eyes.  
  
"My brother is best friends with Harry Potter! Draco and Harry hate each other!"  
  
"That isn't an excuse! It's not like they used to date like my cousin and him did! If you dated him that would be one thing!"  
  
Now was my chance. If I told her about last night, then I would be home free. "Adrienne, remember that dance last night. Well, I danced with a masked stranger. And that masked person turned out to Draco; a rather ugly scene that I'd rather not repeat." But even as I said it, I could tell how fake it sounded it though it was the god awful truth.  
  
"Adrienne please!" I pleaded, grabbing onto her am. "Why can't Jackie do it?"  
  
"I wouldn't do it if you paid me too!" Jackie said. "Plus I have this report on the Weird Sisters due next week. I can't go on a trip with the quidditch team."  
  
"Top of the morning to ya all!" Eric called out, popping in the office to pick up his coffee.  
  
"Let Eric do the report! He likes guys, it can be his crush!" I begged.  
  
"Ooh, I want to do the Crush of the Month report, who is it?" He said, sipping his mocha iced coffee.  
  
"Draco Malfoy." Jackie, Adrienne, and I said in unison.  
  
"Oh, Merlin, I will not write him as my crush! You know I have better taste than that!" He huffed, whisking off with the mail cart.  
  
"Looks like you're stuck with it, Ginny." Adrienne said with a smile.  
  
"I better get a pay raise soon." I snapped, grabbing my coat and heading home.

* * *

"I need a month off," I told Fred as walked into the shop later that afternoon.  
  
"Ha, ha. We are short-handed around here as it is. You can't just call a vacation anytime you want. How are you even going on vacation? You told me the other day that you were broke." Fred replied, not looking up from the receipts that he was filing.  
  
"Not vacation, Fred. I need to go on location every day for the next month for a report."  
  
"Oh. Will you be gone for the whole time or just busy during the day?" George asked, from behind the counter. I didn't notice him when I had walked in.  
  
"The whole time." I said, sinking onto my trusty stool.  
  
"Well, we can just ask Jordyn to fill in for a few days." Fred said nonchalantly.  
  
George looked at me with fear in his eyes. Jordyn plus a shop full of wizard magic tricks equalled a ton of questions and most likely a big disaster.  
  
"What about Lee? I say we ask Lee." George suggested. Fred nodded. "That would probably be better. Hell, Bill's six year old daughter, Claire, would be better." He muttered the second part under his breath so that Fred couldn't hear.  
  
"Thanks guys, I owe you." I said, organizing the cash register. Honestly, Fred and George are just so disorganized. Why can they not separate the sickles from the knuts? Is it really that hard? "So how is business coming?"  
  
"My tongue is no longer swollen." Fred answered happily, clapping his hands together in delight. "But it does shock me once in a while."  
  
"We are going to market it for those students who tend to fall asleep in class." George added.  
  
"A jolt of energy with each lick," Fred laughed but stopped abruptly due to an electrifying zap. "Ouch!"  
  
"Oh, this product is going to sell loads." I rolled my eyes.  
  
"We think so too." George replied, missing the sarcasm. You would think as much as the twins used sarcasm, they would know when it smacked them in the face. But no, not my blockheads of brothers.  
  
"I have to go pack. See you guys later." I said, apparating to our house down the street.

* * *

Now what in the world are you supposed to pack on trip to see one of the people that you truly hate and I don't use that word lightly. Seriously, what do you take? A book of crossword puzzles to keep busy in the tense silence? A wooden stake to drive through his heart? Wait, I think that only works for vampires, darn.  
  
Socks. Check.  
  
Umbrella. Check.  
  
Wand. Check  
  
Tee-Shirts. Check  
  
Train Ticket. Check  
  
Wooden Stake. Check. Hey, you never know.  
  
After packing all of the above (except the stake. They might ask questions about that at the train station) and much more, I decided that I was ready to leave. Not ready to be with Draco, mind you, but ready to go.  
  
Kings Cross Station was packed with people. I hadn't been there since returning home my seventh year. It felt nice and normal to return there as if I was heading off on another adventure to Hogwarts.  
  
I had so many adventures in Hogwarts. So many, now that I look back, I realize how very lucky I am not to be dead. But at the time, I followed Harry and didn't have another thought after that. If he was okay with risking his life then so was I. That was stupid and I think deep down a part of me knew that when I was breaking into the Ministry of Magic and every other dumb thing I ever did involving him and the late Dark Lord. I was stupid because I was in love with him.  
  
The fact that I was in love with him was stupid in itself because he never really loved me. He had just defeated the Dark Lord and I think he wanted some freedom. At least that's what he said when he broke up with me. "Ginny, it's just that everything is different and I still have some questions I want answered. Believe me, it's not you, it's my situation." What a jerk. Yet for some reason, I was never really mad at him. It's hard to be mad at the one you love, even when they tell you they don't love you back. It's almost like you're mad at yourself for not being good enough.  
  
Well, I got over that quick enough. I dated a couple of guys after Harry, but nothing really serious until I met Luke when I was twenty. He worked at Teen Witch with me, he was a photographer. To make a rather long and annoying story short, Luke asked me out, I said yes, we went to parties, dancing, etc, Luke never told me much about his personal life, we broke up for two days, Luke apologized with a dozen roses, I got back together with him, I finally found out where he lived, he asked me to move in, I said no, he broke up with me for a week, he apologized with two dozen roses, I got back together with him, he worked late one night, I went over to his flat to surprise him with dinner, he came in the door kissing one of his models, I dumped my glass of wine on his model friend, I threw an oven mitt at him, I moved in with Fred and George, he came and apologized with three dozen roses, I threw the roses in face, his eye got cut by a thorn, he had to go to the hospital, he came back yet again but I wasn't home, George was, Luke tried to get him to tell him where I was, George punched him, Luke had to go to the hospital again, and that was the last anyone has heard from him. George reckons that his insurance company told him to stay away from us, they weren't going to cover any more of his medical accidents that occurred at 15 Sawyer Court.  
  
And now I was off on another adventure, not to Hogwarts and not in love, but on an adventure with a quidditch team and an enemy. I can't wait.

* * *

Sorry this chapter took so long to post! I just saw Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The movie was sooooo awesome. I loved it! The best of the three movies by far. Anyway, please review!  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Simple plan gc fan 


	4. Name Your Price

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Not According to Plan 

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter Characters aren't, never were, and never will be mine.

Author's Note: There is typo in the last chapter. Adrienne says two weeks but it is supposed to say one month. Sorry about that. Once again, thanks to all of those wonderful people known as reviewers.

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Chapter 4

"Last call for Platform 13." The loudspeaker boomed. That was my platform, my train and yet I wasn't on it. I could not get my feet to budge. I just stood there in the middle of the station watching the other passengers board the train. I couldn't move, I did not want to move. I could not see Draco, not after what happened last night at the dance. It wasn't just that I was embarrassed at having been dancing with Draco. It was even more embarrassing that I had been enjoying myself more than I had in a really, really long time. I was enjoying myself with Draco Malfoy of all people. But in my defense, I did not know that he was him. Did that make any sense at all? I didn't think so.

My feet didn't stay budged very long. One second I'm dreading Draco and the next someone is laying on top of me in the middle of the train station.

"What the hell?" I said, my body pressed to the cold stone floor. "Get off of me."

"Sorry," the guy said.

I recognized that voice. It took me a second to place since I could not see his face (he was still on top of me) "No, not you," I said my voice full of fear of what I would see when I stood up.

Merlin, I was right. Draco Malfoy had run into me, trying to catch the train. He grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me swiftly to my feet. "What train are you going on?" he asked, out of breath.

I didn't answer, completely forgetting about last night and the Crush of the Month thing. Draco Malfoy had helped me to my feet. Weird.

"Come with me," he said, still latched onto my wrist. I barely had time to grab my suitcase before the two of us went running towards the train.

"Cutting it close," the train conductor said.

The train started moving not thirty seconds after we got on. Draco was still attached to my hand. What was with him holding my hand? If he did it any longer, people would start thinking that we were going out. Eww.

"Malfoy, let go." I ordered. Draco looked confused for a second and then looked at his hand. He turned a red I had never seen he go, and he muttered, "sorry."

He led the way down the train car before after what seemed like an eternity, deciding on an empty compartment surrounded by all empty compartments.

"You were going to ride this train right?" Draco asked. It must have suddenly dawned on him that he dragged me on the train without awaiting my response. I nodded and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Listen, Weasley," Draco started, his usual demeanor coming back. "About the dance-"

"-it never happened." I answered, a little quickly.

Draco however, looked relieved, like we had both been thinking the exact same thing. "Well, good, I just didn't want you to get any ideas-"

"What ideas?" I snapped, ready to nip Draco's ego in the butt.

Draco now looked extremely embarrassed. "I just, it's just that, well you know..."

"If I knew, I wouldn't have asked," I teased. Embarrassing Draco was fun. A lot of fun.

"I just didn't want people to think that, you know, we liked each other." He finally said, nearly choking on his words.

"Oh they will," I muttered, figuring that I had to get this over with eventually.

"And why would they think that?" Draco asked, worried. "You didn't like brag to your little friends about dancing with me, did you?"

"Malfoy, believe me, what happened at the dance is only coming out of me with a very large dose of veritaserum. A _very_ large dose. I don't think that I would even reveal something like this on my deathbed, let alone, go tell all my friends that I touched hands with the slimiest prat in the entire wizarding world."

"Oh yes, because it would just be awful if your friends knew that you were dancing with a handsome, talented, successful, millionaire wizard, wouldn't it? Not like they'd believe you even if you did tell the truth. Like I, the richest bachelor in the wizarding world, acquaint myself with someone like a Weasley." Draco snapped.

"A little stuck on yourself, aren't you?" I snapped. Draco just annoyed me so much.

"What in Merlin's name did you mean by that comment?" He asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"What comment?" I asked, honestly forgetting.

"The one about how people will assume that we like each other even though you and I would never tell anyone about 'us'."

"Oh, that one."

Draco stared at me with a look of consternation. But just as I expected, it slowly dawned on him. "No," he said with a look that was a mixture of shock and horror. It was quite repulsive actually. "No freaking way. You...no...this is such a...I don't believe...this isn't going to fly...make a call...no freaking way...nightmare...Weasley...bad....very bad..."

"Glad to see seven years of schooling helped you in your quest to form coherent sentences." I told him. "You're improving but I think there was a drunk at the train station bar that was doing a better job at it than you."

"Ha, ha" Draco said, not the least bit amused. "What are we going to do?"

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"I know! I'll pay you!"

"What are you talking about?" I demanded to know. "And how will that help our situation? You know, I think Crabbe's stupidity is beginning to rub off on you."

"Crabbe is an idiot but that's beside the point." He said, plopping himself down on the bench seat. "Listen I have a proposition to make. I will pay you to quit your job at Teen Witch."

"WHAT?" I choked, still pacing around the cabin.

"I'll pay you to quit. Then we don't have to deal with each other." He explained as if this was just common knowledge.

"I can't just quit my job! How am I going to explain that to everyone? 'Uh, I'm just going to quit my job with no other plans and sit at home'. And how will I explain the large sum of money I have magically acquired?" I asked him.

"Who said anything about a large sum of money?" He snickered. "You can find another job. You know what? I'll find you another job. I have some friends that owe me favors."

"Malfoy, I do not want a job that you get me. I can just see the job you'll get me now. I'll be working on commission at a hot chocolate stand in the middle of the Sahara Desert." I hissed.

Draco smiled. "Nice idea. I like the way you think."

"Grow up."

"I am being an adult about this. I will buy you out of your job. Name your price."

Some of Malfoy's evilness rubbed off on me. I smiled and said. "Five million galleons, no less."

Malfoy nearly fell off the bench. "Five...million...GALLEONS?" He squawked, staring at me with the biggest eyes I have ever seen.

"Hit you where it hurt, did I?" I teased and pushed his lower jaw up to meet his upper jaw.

"Are you serious?" He asked, his voice a hell of a lot higher than normal.

"Take it or leave it." I told him.

"Say hello to your new crush," he said with a large sigh.

Damn. I really hoped that he would take the offer. For that much, I was willing to admit that I had been paid not to work.

'Let's get this started then," I said, after we both stopped pacing and were seating, me staring at the compartment door and Draco out the window.

"Fine. As if I have a choice in the matter." He muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Okay, what's your name?" I asked, taking out a quill and paper.

"You have a crush on me and yet you don't know my name?"

"Fine. Be a smart-ass. I am just following protocol, but we'll see who has the last laugh when this article comes out and you look like a fool."

"You make me sound like an arse and my representative and lawyers will be down your throat."

"Draco, I don't need to make you sound like arse, you do that on your own."

"Funny, yet I'm not laughing."

"Let's just drop it and get this living nightmare over with."

"I don't think that nightmare comment was "dropping it""

"Malfoy..."

"Whatever."

"What is your name?"

"Not this again!"

"Malfoy! Merlin, would you just cooperate?"

"Draco Malfoy."

"What?"

"I was stating my name!"

"Oh, that's right. Sorry, I forgot."

"Next question," He grumbled.

"Age?"

"You know these answers!"

"Please, Malfoy?"

"Fine. Twenty four."

"Schooling?"

"I attended Hogwarts and was a Slytherin. I graduated second out of the Slytherin class that year."

"Family?"

"My father is Lucius Malfoy and my mother is Narcissa Black Malfoy."

"No siblings?"

"Thank, Merlin."

"What position do you play for England?"

"Seeker."

"Were you on the school quidditch team?"

"I was seeker for Slytherin House from my second year up."

"Is it true that Harry Potter beat you in many matches?"

"Is this really necessary?"

"Just want to show who the better player is."

"What, you still have a thing for your ex?"

"How did you know that I dated Harry?"

"I read the newspaper, Weasley. I think it was an American actress that he left you for? Or was it that Irish chaser? No, I think he was dating her while you were still with him. He left you for the actress but cheated with the chaser. That's it."

"You don't know what you are talking about. Not that it's any of your business, but Harry and I broke up mutually. He didn't date anyone else for like a year or so."

"Of course you broke up mutually. It has to be mutual. One person in the relationship can't say that it is over, and the other say it isn't."

"Harry did not dump me for an Irish actress!" I yelled, getting really pissed. And embarrassed. Merlin, I hated Draco.

"Of course not. She was an American actress. The chaser was Irish."

"You know what? Just get out of my sight!" I hissed, and stormed out of the compartment. I didn't have to take that from Malfoy of all people. I knew all those tabloid stories were lies and I think Draco knew it too. He just wanted to upset me. Harry may have been a jerk and not loved me back, but he would have never ever hurt me like that. He is just not that kind of person. Even if he was, he would not have been stupid enough to cheat on me. Believe me, he would have had to answer to the six most protective brothers in the world. And I would not want to be the one against, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, and Ron. I know that even Ron would have hexed him, and they are best friends. That's how protective my brothers are.

I found an empty compartment a few down from where I left the scum of a person known as Draco. I looked at the notes I took and started to outline a section of the article. I probably shouldn't have done that when I was mad because it came off looking like I hate the guy (which I did) rather than having a major crush on him. Oh well, I'd fix it later. Here, read:

**Vital Facts on England's Newest Addition to the Team**

**_Twenty-four year old Londoner _Draco Malfoy,_ was recently signed to play for the England quidditch team. This quidditch nobody went from second reserve seeker for Puddlemere United to seeker for the country after both the first , second, AND third choices were unable to fill the postion. (First choice, Skyler Tierney signed with Ireland as to be on the same team as her husband of two years Daniel Tierney. Second choice, Christopher Renaldo is still recovering at St. Mungo's after an attack on his broomstick during the August 13th game of Bolton Flyers v Paris Angels. A not-so-angelic French fanatic attacked the Flyer, causing the broom to hurl into the ground from a height of four hundred feet. Renaldo is in critical condition. For more on this story, see Alicia Spinnet's coverage in the sports section of _Teen Witch._ Third choice, Rachel Cameron turned down the offer for unspecified reasons, but it is rumoured (from a VERY reliable source) that Cameron turned down the offer because of conflicts with the team's chaser, Christy Hawthorne.)_**

_**So that leaves us with fourth (and last) choice, Draco Malfoy. Let's not judge the pale seeker yet, here's a bit of his story...**_

_**Family?**_

**Draco Malfoy recently celebrated his twenty fourth birthday with family and friends (the few that he has) at a restaurant in Hogsmeade. His parents, Lucius (Yes, the accused Death Eater) and Narcissa Black (Yes, the sister to convicted murderer, Bellatrix Lestrange) Malfoy are his only close family. His father is an only child, so no family on that side. In addition to her sister Bellatrix, Narcissa has an older sister Andromeda Tonks, but is not on speaking terms with her. (Andromeda married a muggle, Ted Tonks). Draco's only cousin, Nymphadora Tonks, an auror, was not in attendance at the party, both Tonks and Malfoy claim to have nothing to do with one another. (Nymphadora, in addition to being half muggle, was one of the very aurors who accused Lucius Malfoy of Voldemort Loyalty) So the snobby seeker remains friends with only those pureblooded and evil. Coincidence? I think not...**

_**Schooling?**_

**Draco did attend the world's finest wizarding school, Hogwarts. However, he was a member of the not-so-fine Slytherin House. Draco graduated second in the Slytherin House. (First was England's own chaser, Blaise Zambini). Draco failed to place in the top ten percent of his class overall. (Hermione Granger (Gryffindor) placed first, Blaise Zambini second, and Hannah Abbott (Hufflepuff), third) Only one Slytherin placed in the top ten percent of the graduating class? Not looking so smart there now are we, Slytherins...**

_**Qudditch?**_

**Before becoming second reserve for Puddlemere United, Draco was Slytherin House Seeker from his second year on up. He was not however, one of the better players. Rumoured to have bought his way into team by purchasing team broomsticks, Draco was outplayed by other House seekers. (Mainly, the Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter but there was also some defeats made by Ravenclaw (Now fashion model) Cho Chang and the late Hufflepuff Cedric Diggory) Potter was forever stealing the snitch right from under Malfoy's nose. Maybe someone needs some glasses...**

_**So now I bet you're wondering why in the world he is my crush. Well, he does have pretty nice hair...**_

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Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading! Also, you probably noticed that I changed my pen name; it's still me, I just felt like I needed a new one. Please, please review!

Love ya!

Preppy in Pink


	5. Thinking Is Overrated

Disclaimer: Nothing changed from the last disclaimer; I still don't own them. The new characters however are property of this story and its plot. Danny, Jesse, Callie, Christy, Angel, Nathan, and Matt are original characters.

Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading!

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Chapter Five

"Listen, I'm sorry," He said, stirring me out of my daydream.

"What?" I said, feeling my face flush red. The mean-spirited article was quickly shoved into my bag.

"I shouldn't have brought up Potter. I mean, I'm not saying that you and I are friends or anything now, but we might as well be civil towards each other."

Draco Malfoy was apologizing? I had a feeling that a part of hell just froze over. "Um, what brought on this sudden change of…personality?"

"My therap-, I mean friend, told me that I have to control my temper." Draco said, now matching my red face. "I am trying to get along, don't read too much into it, Weasley."

Ahh, there's the Draco we all know and hate.

"I wasn't reading into anything, Malfoy." I replied, but he continued on, clearly not listening to me.

"I just have enough on my plate with meeting new team mates and the pressure of this team, and I don't have enough energy to continue this witty banter with you."

"Fine, I'll save the witty banter for my next victim."

"Thank you." He said, sitting down next to me on the bench. "What were you writing?"

My face was now really burning up. My article was cruel and mean towards him, even if I didn't like him, I couldn't let him see it. "Um, you know."

Draco smirked. "If I knew, I wouldn't have asked. Is it about yours truly?"

"Yeah, I am writing you a letter about my undying love for you," I teased, sighing. Draco raised an eyebrow and gave me the tiniest smile.

"Well, I am flattered."

"I would give it to you, but I don't know if I want to boost your ego anymore. Any bigger and it might explode." I told him. He clutched his chest as if I had shoved a dagger in his heart and laughed.

"I think I'll get over it." He said before suddenly turning towards the window, giving me the cold shoulder. He acted as if he had gotten too close to me and was now going to push me away.

That he did for the rest of the ride. He stared out the window for awhile longer before excusing himself by claiming he needed to get a drink, never coming back. In fact, I didn't see him again until we were at the station. A guy in a bright red England Quidditch sweatshirt was waving a huge sign that read "MALFOY AND WEASLEY: OVER HERE!" Draco was standing next to him, his face buried in his hands, making it quite obvious that this guy was embarrassing him. "Ahh, Miss Weasley," the hyper red sweatshirt guy said, taking the bag out of my hand. "Welcome!"

"Hi!" I said, trying to return his same level of enthusiasm. Seeing as how I was facing a month away from friends and family, stuck following around a quidditch team, not to mention hanging out with Malfoy, and having just realized that the sign shouted our names and had flashing lights, I was unable to.

"The team is waiting for you," he said with an accent so thick that it would rival that of Oliver Wood's. "You will be living in the team house," he said to us.

'Both of us?" Draco asked.

"Well of course you are, silly!" The guy laughed at Draco. "You're part of the team! You crack me up!"

Draco rolled his eyes. "I meant her."

"Well, she's part of our quidditch family now." The guy smiled before smacking himself on the head. "Blimey! I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Danny; part of the team management. The rest of them are back with the team. Oh, you guys are gonna love the team. Especially that Callie, if you know what I mean," Danny said, elbowing Draco. Draco made a face and sped up his pace in order to get ahead of us.

"She's real pretty," Danny explained. I nodded, even though I did not know what any of the quidditch team looked like. Danny himself was tall, with a head of shaggy light brown hair that was obviously straightened. He only looked a little younger than Draco but acted more like he was fifteen.

"So who's on the team?" I asked, trying to be polite with conversation.

Danny, apparently loved to talk, and immediately jumped into a description of each team player. "Well, there's Callie of course, she real nice, she lent me her cauldron the other day when I accidentally blew mine up (Great, another Neville). She's a chaser, super chaser, even faster than her older sister. Christy is two years older than her. She's on the team too, but she's not her sister. Got a bit of temper, that one. She'd probably get along with that Draco character (Sounds like Christy and I will be best friends. Not.) Then there's Blaise, that crazy fool. Did you know he has a degree in healing? And he chose to play quidditch professionally instead. Weird one. He's nice though. There's also Nathan and Matt, beaters, quite good when they actually concentrate. They tend to get um, distracted; Nathan more by female fans and Matt by well, anything really. He's got the attention span of um, something with a really short attention span. He loves muggle things. Who am I forgetting? Ah, right, Jesse the Keeper. He is awesome. And in a band. Well, not really a good band, but it's a band. Just figured I'd tell you, because, you know, chicks dig guys in a band. I tried to get in the band because of that, I offered to play tambourine but Jesse said that wasn't really their style."

I didn't have that heart to tell him, that although girls did like guys in bands, they certainly would not go for the one that played the tambourine. The lead singer definitely, lead guitarist probably, the drummer possibly, the tambourine player never.

"Well, you'll meet them all later anyway. Don't worry, they'll love ya," He assured me as if I was nervous about what a bunch of quidditch players thought of me. Okay, fine, I admit, I so wanted them to like me, especially this Jesse character.

The drive to the quidditch team house was rather loud, at least on Danny's part anyway. Draco remained silent, his gaze fixated out the window. And there wasn't really much that I could chime in to Danny's description of the team colors ("red like strawberry shortcake, but without the cake part, so more like strawberry and royal blue the color blue that royals wear", those were his exacts words I swear, and what color blue do royals wear? Are they only allowed to wear one shade?) and how the grass of the quidditch pitch was this perfect shade of green ("not the color of celery green, more the color of broccoli"). This guy was crazy.

The second the limo pulled into the driveway, Draco leaped out, probably trying to escape Danny's rant about the cuteness of the team gerbil, Mousey. (They originally thought that he was a mouse, thus explaining the name Mousey)

"We are back!" Danny hollered into the house, carrying my bags, leaving Draco to take his own.

"In the kitchen, Dan!" A guy called back.

"Hi!" Danny said to the first guy, a guy in his mid twenties with blonde hair. He looked preppy; the kind of guy you'd expect to be the school heartthrob, every guy's idol, the muggle high school homecoming king.

"Hey, man," he said, outcooling Danny with just two words. He clapped him on the shoulder and then smiled at me. "Dan, who's your friend?"

"I told you I was going to pick up the new keeper and the reporter," Danny explained as if he was frustrated when it was clear that the blonde knew who I was and just wanted Danny to formally introduce us.

"Ginny Weasley," I said, shaking his hand.

"Jesse McCallister," he said with a smile that could melt a girl's heart into a puddle.

"Told you that you would like him," Danny whispered in my ear. "Oh, you have to meet Callie! Callie!"

A tall pale girl with curly white-blonde hair and freckles emerged from the deck with a dark brown short-haired guy, that was only maybe inch or two at the max taller than her. "What's up, Danny?" she asked, popping the top on a fruit punch bottle.

"I want you to meet Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley."

Draco nodded at her, with the same achieved coolness of Jesse. "Hey," he said with a smile that he had never looked at me with. There was no smirk behind it, no evil grin, just a plain, cute smile. I felt angry for an unexplainable second.

"You are the reporter? Cool!" Callie said, running over and hugging me. I could see why Danny seemed so crushed on her. Not to mention her beauty, she the female version of him, a little ditzy and energetic, with the mere exception that she was clearly part of the popular crowd. Her ditzy-ness probably made her popular whereas Danny's made him a bit of a joke.

The guy shook Draco's hand with his only free hand. The other was attached to a hand of short girl with so much make-up it was wonder I'd missed her earlier. "Nathan Tremaine," he said to me, kissing my hand. If looks could kill, the girl attached to his side would have made me drop dead on the spot. Clearly, she was one of the female fans that Danny thought "distracted" Nathan. He seemed as into her though as a dog with an old toy. I had a feeling that she wouldn't be hanging around much longer.

"Angel," she said, coldly, with no need for a last name. I wondered if Nathan even knew it.

Nathan dropped her hand and took the fruit punch right out of Callie's delicate hand. He downed a good portion of it before handing it back to her. Callie didn't object; apparently Nathan had done this before. Angel on the other hand looked quite upset that he had dropped her hand and had chosen to sip from Callie's punch rather than the glass in her own hand.

"Nathan, sweetie, you can have some of mine," she said, offering him her cup.

"Angela babe, Callie gave me some of hers." I had my answer; Nathan didn't even know her first name.

Angel didn't correct him, she just shot Callie one those death glares that she apparently hadn't reserved for only me.

"So," Nathan said, completely unaware of that his companion looked ready to pounce Callie in a cat fight. "Where's your sister?" he said, looking right at me.

I was startled. "Um, I don't have a sister," I told him.

Nathan laughed and pointed to Callie. It hit me that he was asking her and not me. My face matched Danny's sweatshirt.

"I'm right here," A grouchy voice snapped, setting a rather large broom bag down on the table.

Christy was certainly not her sister's clone. She was pretty, but she would have been a whole lot prettier without the attitude. She wasn't as tall as Callie and her hair was dead straight, an auburn color, not the perfect blonde curls her sister was blessed with. She had more freckles than her and was wearing black rimmed glasses that I was pretty sure were just an accessory not a necessity.

"You must be the new seeker. It's great to meet you," She said, grabbing my hand and shaking it.

"Um, actually I-" I started to explain but was cut off by a blonde git.

"Actually, I'm the seeker," Draco said, extending a hand.

Christy ignored and made a face. "Just what we need, another guy on the team. Like we don't have enough as it is."

"What is wrong with guys?" Angel asked, clearly not as threatened by Christy as she was of Callie.

"Um, who are you?" Christy asked, spinning around to face Angel. Her tone was accusing, apparently Christy was not tolerant of Nathan's distractions.

"I'm Angel, Nathan's biggest fan," She said, pulling on the sleeve of Nathan's fleece pullover.

"Oh, then I know you," Christy told her as she pulled her broom out of the broom bag. "Nathan's biggest fan was here last week and the week before. My, you change your hair a lot though. One week it was black, last week it was blonde, and now you are obviously a brunette with honey highlights. Why do you change appearance so much, Miss Nathan's Biggest Fan?"

Angel looked like she was about to cry. Callie put a hand on her shoulder which only pissed Angel off, due to her dislike of Callie. She attempted to pull Nathan out the door with her, but he stayed in place. Angel's eyes filled up before she stomped out the door and apparated away.

"I can't believe you said that to her," Nathan said to Christy. Christy just shrugged and motioned for him to open a drawer. He pulled out a pair of twig clippers and she began to trim her broom. "Thank Merlin, she left though. She was too clingy."

Now from the ten minutes that I knew Angel, I can't say that I was sorry to see her leave, but Christy and Nathan could have at least shown some compassion. She was just shot down by her celebrity crush in front of all his celebrity friends. Merlin, that is embarrassing even when you don't have to worry about some paparazzi lurking around for a picture of you post break-up.

"So, do you guys want a tour of the house?" Danny asked. Callie nodded happily, as if she had never seen it, before she grabbed Draco's arm and pulled him towards the other door. Jesse followed, Christy on his heels. I started to follow before Nathan grabbed my hand.

"You're lucky," he said, looking right at me with his crystal blue eyes.

"What?" I asked, startled by both the eyes and the question.

"You're lucky," he repeated, as if I hadn't understood the phrase, "that you don't have a sister. Because she would hate you."

What in Merlin's name was he talking about? If I had a sister, she would hate me? I didn't think I gave off any bad vibes when I walked in here. Was he still teasing me about answering his question?

"Excuse me?" I said, staring back.

Nathan laughed because clearly I didn't understand what he was saying. He leaned in and whispered, "She would be jealous; she could never be as pretty as you." He flashed his pearly white teeth before walking towards the direction of Danny's voice, explaining how the non-magical lights worked.

"Matt, he's not here right now, but he loves muggle things." Danny told me as we stood in the den. "During the break we had last month, he installed these lights. You just clap and it goes off. Of course, he's not very good with these muggle things and they actually sort of turn off when you don't clap too. They kind of have a mind of their own, but it's always nice to be able to tell people that we have muggle things in our house."

"It makes us seem like we are freaks," Jesse muttered, clearly not impressed with Matt's muggle objects. Draco nodded in agreement with Christy and Jesse. Nathan seemed unfazed with the lights.

Danny didn't stop his tour until he was sure we had seen everything, and when I say everything I mean _everything._ We saw underneath the stairs where they store the Christmas tree, we saw the coat closet, we even saw Jesse's jar of guitar picks, and Callie's sock drawer. The only thing I can say about Danny is that he is thorough.

"Dan, man, this tour can continue later, let's grab some food," Jesse said after Danny identified whose tooth brushes were whose (Matt-blue, Christy-purple, Callie-pink, Blaise-black, Jesse-orange, Nathan-red, Danny-white, I don't even know why he bothered identifying them since only two people share each bathroom)

"I could go with that," Nathan said, munching on a pumpkin pastry that he had picked up somewhere on the tour.

It was then settled that Callie, Christy, and Jesse would pick up the food while Draco and I unpacked. Danny disappeared in the midst of all the chaos, Merlin, you would be not believe how ravenous quidditch teams act when they're hungry, they're crazy. SO they went to find food while Nathan showed us our rooms.

The house was huge. Four floors plus the basement. Basement was used for storage, the first floor was just the kitchen, dining room and living room. The second floor was the game room, the trophy room, and the den. There were five bedrooms on the third floor; Jesse's room connected to Christy's through a bathroom. Matt's connected to Danny's new bedroom. The fifth bedroom used to be Danny's but apparently some experiment went wrong and that room was destroyed. Danny didn't go into details but Nathan claimed that Matt and Danny attempted to jinx some sort of muggle microwave to cool things really fast instead of heating them, and they accidentally blew it up. Apparently Matt still has the scar over his left eyebrow where the microwave door hit him. The fourth floor had five bedrooms as well. Nathan and Callie shared a bathroom between their rooms, Blaise had his own room and bathroom, and the seeker's room connected to the guest room. Guess who had the guest room and the seeker room. I tried to convince Nathan to let me have Danny's old room but he said it was condemned due to "potentially hazardous potion splatter." I have no idea if he was joking or not.

"You don't want to go in there," he told me as he lugged my suitcase up the stairs. I tried several times to tell him that he could just magic it up but Nathan seemed intent on using his muscles not magic. "It smells like a cross between coconut and gillyweed. I have no idea what those two were thinking."

"Well, it seemed like a good idea in theory," I said, feeling bad for poor Danny. Clearly, he was the house joke.

Nathan nodded. "That's the thing. Matt and Dan are like hugely smart, it's just their magic is a little you know, off."

"Wow," I said, losing my breath for a second when Nathan opened the door to my bedroom. It was _gorgeous_. I mean, pillow soft carpeting, frilly soft bed, and a dreamy ceiling that sparkled like a sky on a sunny day. Two floor to ceiling windows were in the room, a window seat by each with a large potted plant of the prettiest flowering plant I have ever seen.

Nathan noticed I liked it and chuckled. "Are you sure you don't still want to trade it for the hole on the third floor that was once known as Danny's room?"

"I think I can settle living next to Draco for this room. This bed is so soft and comfortable! Oh, Merlin, I could stare at this ceiling for hours." I said, knowing darn well that I sounded like Fred when he went to the Zonko's outlet store.

"What is it with you and Draco? He doesn't seem too bad." Nathan pondered. "Did he hurt you? Cause if he hurt you, I'll take care of his seeker butt,"

As much as I would have liked to see Nathan deck Draco, I couldn't let him. "No, it's just we have some history.'

Nathan nodded as if he understood. "So when did you guys break up?"

"What?" I asked, bewildered.

"You mean you guys are still together? You guys acted pretty hostile towards each other, I just figured you broke up." Nathan said, taking a step back from me.

"We were never together!" I snapped.

"What?" Draco said, appearing from the connecting bathroom.

"He thinks we are a couple!" I said, for some reason pointing to Nathan as if he was an alien.

Draco's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "He thought what?!?!?"

"I know! That was my reaction exactly!" I said, still in shock.

"I would never go out with you!" He barked as if he couldn't get the words out fast enough.

"Okay, chill, I just thought…."

"Don't think, thinking is overrated!" Draco yelled, stomping back into his room.

"Who put the broomstick up his ass?" Nathan asked.

I had a feeling that this was going to be a very long. A _very long_ month.

* * *

Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading! I really appreciate all the reviews too. I just started a new story, Hanging By A Moment, it's a humorous/mystery/romance Draco fic. I still haven't gotten any reviews for it and I was kind of hoping for some; any kind would do, the good, the bad, the helpful, they're all appreciated. I'd just really like some sort of feedback on it. Thanks for so much for reading and even more for reviewing!

Intelligent Witch: You read my other story too! You rock! Thank you so much!

Sarcasma: Thank you for the compliments!

Lady in White: lol! Thanks for reviewing!

Nocturnal: Thanks for the review!

I absolutely love reviews, so please, please, make my day and review!

Love ya!

Preppy in Pink


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